Incendiary mixture



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

WALTER 'r. scum, or HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO THE Govnnn- MENT on THE UNITED STATES, REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY on THE NAVY.

IN'CENDLARY MIXTURE.

No Drawing.

T0 (112 whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER T. SCHEELE, a citizen of Germany, and having made aplication for citizenship in the United tates, and a resident of Hackensack, New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Incendiary Mixtures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an explosive mixture for use in warfare. An object of the invention is to provide a mixture or composition of matter which when confined in tubes or cells and ignited with a fuse or detonator will cause a violent explosion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a material or composition of matter which is not dangerous to handle during preparation, will not suffer deterioration or decomposition when stored in containers for a considerable length of time, and which upon ignition or detonation will cause a violent explosion without a formation of black smoke, in other words an explosive or composition of matter well adapted for use in warfare.

I find that I can prepare an explosive mixture having the above mentioned properties by mixing hexamethylenetetramin and sodium peroxid in certain proportions, both ingredients being in a fine powdered state, say about 100% mesh. In causing such a mixture I use hexamethylenetetramiu and sodium peroxid both in fine powder as illustrated in the following example:

llexamethylenetetramin, fine powder 22%% Sodium peroxid, fine powder 77{-% The hexamethylenetetramin and the sodium peroxid are ground separately and mixed in fine powder form about 100% mesh at which time I assume a reaction to take place in the solid state as indicated by the lack of usual tendency of the sodium peroxid to absorb moisture from the surrounding air and I further assume the formation of a compound having a composition C H N Na O which is analogous to the known explosive compound having the formula C H N,H O It will also be found that the proportions which I have chosen for the hexamethylenetetramin and sodium peroxid are different from the theoretical proportions demanded by the composition or formula C, ,I-I,,N,l Ta. ,O and in addition,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1921.

Application filed December 9, 1919. Serial No. 343,572.

the susceptibility of the composition to detonation as established by careful fragmentatlon tests in steel shells becomes a maximum at approximately the limits I have given 1n the example mentioned above and falls off with the increase of the hexamethylenetetraiuin and the decrease of the sodium peroxid. so that, for example, a mixture,

Hexamethylenetetramin 331}% Sod1um peroxid 66?;%

will only cause ignition upon detonation but material confined in a closed cell will only explode to a limited fragmentation.

This observation is most important for this, my invention, and establishes the fact that the best fragmentation results are obtained with a mixture as mentioned above, namely 22%% hexamethylenetetramin and 77;-% sodium peroxid.

I have found it advisable to allow the finely powdered hexamethylenetetramin and the finely powdered sodium peroxid after being carefully mixed to remain in contact for an hour before being filled in tubes or shells for explosive tests thus insuring adequate time for the explosion of the combination.

It is essential that in the mixing of the dry powders the operations should be carried out in metal containers as the presence of matter of an organic origin may result in ignition. I have discovered that various nitrates. chlorates and perchlorates of the metals may be combined with the hexamethylenetctramin as double salts and then mixed in the proportion as given above.

I have also discovered that salts normal or double or addition compounds of hexamethylenetetramin may be substituted for hexamethylenetetramin proper in carrying out this invention. The mixture or composition of matter hexamethylenetetramin and sodium peroxid in proportions given above is furthermore capable of exploding when in contact with water, making it possible to be used in deep sea bombs, etc.

This explosive under water, after careful testing. having a terrific power caused by the enormous amount of gases produced upon ignition, the explosive mixture may be ignited by any of the well-known methods such as by fuse or detonation by the action of sulfuric acid contained in a vial which may be burst at the desired moment by a simple mechanical device.

Another important point of this invention is that the explosive will not explode when touched with a hammer, further that the explosive Will not explode in unconfined state at high temperatures even up to 100 F.; that the explosive will explode with terrific force when confined in steel cylinders, the same beingheated to a red heat; the explosive will not explode on percussion and is, therefore, safe for transportation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An explosive mixture containing hexamethylenetetramin and sodium peroxid in substantially the proportions of 22.5% and 77.5%.

2. An explosive mixture as set forth in claim 1, said hexamethylenetetramin and sodium pcroxid being in fine powdered form.

3. An explosive mixture containing hexamet-hylenetetramin and sodium peroxid which upon ignition with fuse or detonator causes a violent explosion without the production of black smoke- Signed at Washington, District of Columbia, this 15th day of November, 1919.

DR. WVALTER T. SCHEELE. 

